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NEWS

JANUARY 2010       

FEBRUARY 2010

MARCH 2010

ODOM INDICTED ON MULTIPLE SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES

02/23/2010

ON FEBRUARY 3^RD, WE REPORTED A CHAMBERS COUNTY MAN HAD BEEN JAILED IN CONNECTION WITH MULTIPLE SEXUAL ASSAULTS OF YOUNG BOYS. 38-YEAR-OLD RONNIE ODOM, OF THE OLD RIVER WINFREE AREA, WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICE OF CHAMBERS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHERYL LIECK, A GRAND JURY RECENTLY INDICTED RONNIE ODOM ON 10 SEPARATE CHARGES- ALL RELATED TO THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF MULTIPLE VICTIMS. INITIALLY THE CHAMBERS COUNTY DA ESTIMATED THE NUMBER OF THOSE UNDERAGE VICTIMS AS BETWEEN 5 AND 10. THE NUMBER OF ALLEGED VICTIMS OF RONNIE ODOM AS WELL AS OTHER DETAILS OF THIS CASE ARE BEING WITHHELD BY THE CHAMBERS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. SHERIFF JOE LARIVE SAID THAT IS TO PROTECT THE VICTIMS. WE HAVE CONFIRMED THE INDICTMENTS AGAINST RONNIE ODOM INCLUDE THREE COUNTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD, 2 COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD, 3 COUNTS OF CRIMINAL SOLICITATION AND 2 COUNTS OF WHAT IS CALLED CONTINUOUS ASSAULT OF CHILD UNDER 14. THAT IS A RELATIVELY NEW OFFENSE THAT CHARGES NUMEROUS ASSAULTS WERE COMMITTED AGAINST A SINGLE VICTIM WITHIN A 30-DAY PERIOD. CONTINUOUS ASSAULT IT IS A 1^ST DEGREE FELONY. RONNIE ODOM HAD LIVED IN THE DAYTON AREA AT ONE TIME BUT WAS SAID TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE OLD RIVER WINFREE AREA IN CHAMBERS COUNTY WHEN ARRESTED LAST MONTH. HE IS CHARGED WITH 10 SEPARATE FELONIES RELATING TO THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF MULTIPLE CHILDREN. RONNIE ODOM, 36, IS BEING HELD IN THE CHAMBERS COUNTY JAIL ON BONDS TOTALING $825,000.

lhs students honored by lions

3.23.10

THree LIBERTY High School students took honors at a Liberty Lions’ Club Youth Scholarship Contest held at the high school in January and then also at a district meet last month. LHS senior Trey Edmond won first place in the school-wide competition for writing a researched essay on the topic: "Diabetes: the Epidemic is Here." He gets a $100 prize awarded by the Liberty Lions’ Club. Angelica Martinez was recognized with first place in the Outstanding Youth Contest, which measured the personal achievements and community service work of the competing students. She also is receiving $100 from Liberty Lions and it is reported Angelica Martinez also made an impressive showing at the District competition held in North Houston. One more Liberty High School student also was honored. Honorable mention goes to Matthew Jones, who demonstrated skill, congeniality, and sportsmanlike conduct in competing in both the scholarship and the outstanding youth contest. Matt Jones gets $50, honorable mention prize from the local Lions. Mrs. Beth Weaver sponsored the competition effort through her English classes.

trinity valley relays

news story

03.23.10

THE LIBERTY AND DAYTON TRACK TEAMS COMPETED IN THE 59^TH ANNUAL TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS LAST FRIDAY. THERE WERE NINE GIRLS TEAMS COMPETING IN THIS YEAR’S TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS. THE TOP GIRLS TEAM WAS SPLENDORA WITH 130 POINTS, FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELY BY HOST TEAM LIBERTY JUST ONE POINT BEHIND. THE DAYTON GIRLS FINISHED IN THIRD PLACE. ROUNDING OUT THE GIRLS PLACEMENTS WERE GOOSE CREEK MEMORIAL, CANEY CREEK, NEW CANEY, TARKINGTON, ANAHUAC AND CLEVELAND. THERE WERE ALSO EIGHT BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEAR’S TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS RENEWAL. NEW CANEY FINISHED IN FIRST PLACE FOLLOWED BY DAYTON IN SECOND AND SPLENDORA IN THIRD. THE OTHERS PLACES WENT TO CANEY CREEK, LIBERTY, CLEVELAND, TARKINGTON AND HARDIN. ONCE MORE, THE 59^TH ANNUAL TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS WERE HELD LAST FRIDAY AT LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL. KSHN WILL HAVE SOME OF THE LOCAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS IN A FUTURE NEWSCAST.

DU BANQUET

LOCAL NEWS

03 23 10

THE 29^th ANNUAL WINNIE-STOWELL CHAPTER OF DUCKS UNLIMITED BANQUET IS SATURDAY, APRIL 24, AT THE WINNIE-STOWELL COMMUNITY BUILDING. DOORS OPEN AT 6 P.M., AND DINNER STARTS AT 7:30. THE MEAL WILL INCLUDE BOILED SHRIMP, BARBECUE PORK AND CHICKEN PLUS ALL THE TRIMMINGS. THIS APRIL 24 EVENT INCLUDES BOTH LIVE AND SILENT AUCTIONS PLUS NUMEROUS RAFFLE ITEMS AND DOOR PRIZES. THE BIG RAFFLE ITEM OF THE NIGHT WILL BE A FIVE-GUN GIVEAWAY. TICKETS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THAT PRIZE ARE $20 OR THREE FOR $50. TICKETS TO THIS FAMILY-FRIENDLY DUCKS UNLIMITED BANQUET ARE $40 FOR SINGLES AND $60 FOR COUPLES. KIDS 17 AND UNDER ARE $15. IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE EVENING’S FESTIVITIES, YOUR TICKET PURCHASE INCLUDES A 1-YEAR MEMBERSHIP IN DUCKS UNLIMITED. YOU’LL RECEIVE THEIR SEMI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE AND OTHER MEMBER BENEFITS. THE PURPOSE OF THE D.U. ORGANIZATION IS TO CONSERVE, RESTORE AND MANAGE WETLANDS AND ASSOCIATED HABITATS FOR NORTH AMERICA'S WATERFOWL. AGAIN, THE WINNIE-STOWELL CHAPTER OF DUCKS UNLIMITED WILL HOLD ITS ANNUAL BANQUET ON APRIL 24 AT THE WINNIE-STOWELL COMMUNITY BUILDING IN WINNIE PARK. FOR INFORMATION OR TICKETS, CALL JERRY SPARKS AT 409-267-7116 OR 409-243-2647.

trinity valley relays

news story

03.23.10

KSHN ALREADY REPORTED THE SPLENDORA GIRLS TRACK TEAM WON THE 59^TH ANNUAL TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS BACK ON MARCH 12^TH. THEY WERE FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY THE GIRLS FROM LIBERTY AND DAYTON. NOW, HERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUAL RESULTS. STARTING WITH FIRST PLACE FINISHERS FROM LIBERTY, SHAFAA (SHU-FAH) GUILLORY WON THE 200-METER DASH. ALSO WINNING GOLD WAS LADY PANTHER WALENCIA (WAH-LYNN-SEE-UH) GRANT IN THE T.V.R. 400-METER DASH. ALSO FROM LIBERTY, HAILI BEAM WON THE 3200-METER RUN AND TEAMMATE MEREDITH TAYLOR TOOK FIRST PLACE IN SHOT PUT. A NUMBER OF DAYTON ATHLETES ALSO PLACED ATOP THE FIELD AT THE TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS. LADY BRONCO HANNAH BELL WON BOTH THE TRIPLE JUMP AND LONG JUMP. IN THE 100-METER DASH, DAYTON’S TAQUISHA RADFORD WON GOLD. THE LADY BRONCOS RELAY TEAM FINISHED FIRST IN BOTH THE 4X100 AND 4X200 RELAYS. THAT TEAM INCLUDES TAQUISHA RADFORD, CANDRA MOSS, ELEXUS HILL AND KATELYN MOORE. IN ALL, GIRLS FROM EITHER LIBERTY OR DAYTON HIGH SCHOOL EARNED GOLD IN 9 OF THE 17 EVENTS AT THE 59^TH ANNUAL TRINITY VALLEY RELAYS HELD MARCH 12^TH..

lisd bond election meetings

news story

03.23.10

LIBERTY ISD WILL HOST A SERIES OF INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS AND FACILITY TOURS TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE $18.27 million bond election SET FOR MAY 8. THE FIRST INFORMATIONAL MEETING IS TONIGHT AT 6 P.M. IN THE LIBERTY big liberty SCHOOL district AUDITORIUM LOCATED BEHIND SAN JACINTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON GRAND AVENUE. LISD SUPERINTENDENT CYNTHIA LUSIGNOLO SAID THIS WILL ALLOW FOLKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSED PROJECTS AND THE IMPACT THE BONDS WOULD HAVE ON TAX RATES.

"aUDIO"

thE $18.27 MILLION bond amount was recommended to school trustees by a liberty isd facilities task force of 30 citizens, parents and teachers. THEN, SCHOOL TRUSTEES CALLED THE ELECTION IN EARLY MARCH. the money would fund renovations to the district’s aging facilities plus construction of a new administration and co-op building plus a nw high school classroom wing. BESIDES TONIGHT’S MEETING, TWO MORE INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS ARE SET FOR APRIL 5 AND APRIL 27 – BOTH START AT 6 P.M. also IN THE LISD AUDITORIUM. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE THREE TOURS SCHEDULED TO ALLOW LIBERTY SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FACILITIES FIRST-HAND. THESE PUBLIC TOURS BEGIN THIS THURSDAY AT 6 P.M. AND WILL START FROM THE LISD BOARD ROOM IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON GRAND AVENUE. THE OTHER FACILITY TOURS WILL BE APRIL 7 AND 29, ALSO BEGINNING AT 6 P.M. those ALSO will depart from the BOARD ROOM. ONCE MORE, LIBERTY ISD WILL HOLD AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING ABOUT THE MAY 8^TH $18.27 MILLION BOND ELECTION TONIGHT AT 6 P.M. IN the AUDITORIUM BEHIND SAN JACINTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON GRAND AVENUE. SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTERS ALSO ARE INVITED TO TOUR LISD FACILITIES THIS THURSDAY, STARTING AT 6 P.M. IN THE DISTRICT’S BOARD ROOM. early voting on the bond election begins APRIL 26.

county to refinance bonds

news story

03.23.10

liberty county commissioners voted UNANIMOUSLY tuesday to refinance the county’s debt service, a move that reportedly will save about $127,000 in interest per year. commissioners issued certificates of obligation back in 2007 TOTALING $10 million. that money was split between the four commissioner precincts for road improvements. Then in 2008, commissioners approved additional C.O.s for $5 million to purchase the old wal-mart building on north main street in liberty. during a presentation to commissioners court on Tuesday, jim gilley a financial advisor with coastal securities, inc. recommended commissioners combine that outstanding debt and re-issue bonds. because of the current historically low interest rates, the financial expert said that would save the county around $2.3 million during the next 18 years. jim gilley told commissioners the debt RELATED to the PURCHASE of the old wal-mart facility was sold in 2008 as taxable bonds because the county ORIGINALLY planned to lease part of that facility to a private business. Since talks to locate a hospital there have apparently ended, liberty county officials now don’t believe the building will be used for business purposes. this allows the county to reissue that debt as tax-EXEMPT bonds, which mr. gilley said accounts for a majority of the interest-rate savings. during discussions, the democrat candidate for liberty county judge – ken morrison – asked if this decision could be changed in the future. ken morrison is on record as saying the old wal-mart building should be leased to private business to generate income for the county. the county’s investment specialist told morrison commissioners’ hands won’t be tied by this decision. again, liberty county commissioners approved refinancing outstanding debt. by reissuing these bonds, liberty county will save a total of $2.3 million – that is about $127,000 per year for the next 18 years.